SUWANEE, Ga. -- The Atlanta Falcons, in need of a pass rusher ever since losing Claude Humphrey four years ago, made 260-pound All-America defensive end Mike Pitts of Alabama their first round draft choice Tuesday.
'We feel he'll give us a lot of help in pass rushing and that's what we need,' said Falcons Coach Dan Henning after Pitts became the 16th pick in the opening round of the day-long NFL draft.
'We were surprised he was still available,' said Henning. 'It's quite unusual that no defensive lineman was among the first 10 choices. There were three or four other teams we thought might be interested in Mike and for awhile there we thought he might be gone.'
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In the fifth round, Atlanta selected Brett Miller, a 278-pound offensive tackle from Iowa. The Falcons then picked 180-pound wide receiver Anthony Allen of Washington in the sixth round and 178-pound defensive back Jeff Turk of Boise State in the seventh.
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Atlanta selected James Britt, a defensive back from Louisiana State in the second round. The Falcons also picked up defensive end Andrew Provence, of South Carolina, in the third round, and linebacker John Harper, of Southern Illinois, in the fourth.
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'You have to say Pitts is the man we wanted since he's the man we took,' said Henning. 'Of course, you always go for the best player available, regardless of position. We knew our first choice would be defense if everything was even, but we would have taken an offensive player if a great one was there.'
Pitts is the third defensive end selected in the first round by the Falcons during their 18 drafts. Humphrey was the first in 1968; Don Smith, an '82 starter, the second in 1979.
Pitts, who led Alabama in tackles behind the line of scrimmage both his junior and senior seasons, said in a telephone interview from Tuscaloosa, Ala., that he was happy he had been selected by the Falcons, 'because they are a team of the future, one that I want to be a part of, and I like the idea of staying in the South.'
Henning said he planned to use Pitts as a down lineman when the Falconsused a 3-4 defense, but that he'd probably be the 'standup' when the Falcons went to a 4-3.
'I'd really like to start him projected as a down guy to rush the passer,' said Henning. 'But having a player like Pitts gives us several options.'
Although he did not play as a down lineman at Alabama, Pitts said he didn't feel he'd have any problem adjusting. 'I believe I have a lot of speed off the ball, that's what it takes to rush the passer,' he said. 'However, I will have to work on my strength.'
Pitts, scheduled to fly to Atlanta later Tuesday, said that while going into the new U.S. Football League 'was still an option, right now I want to play for the NFL.'
'I'm glad he feels that way,' said Falcons owner Rankin Smith. 'I'd hate to think we wasted a first-round pick.'
